Dianne feinstein senator california
Dianne Feinstein
American politician (1933–2023)
Dianne Feinstein | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2004 | |
| In office November 4, 1992 – September 29, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | John Seymour |
| Succeeded by | Laphonza Butler |
| In office November 27, 1978 – January 8, 1988[a] | |
| Preceded by | George Moscone |
| Succeeded by | Art Agnos |
| In office January 9, 1978 – December 4, 1978 | |
| Preceded by | Quentin L.
Kopp |
| Succeeded by | John Molinari |
| In office January 8, 1974 – January 8, 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Ron Pelosi[1] |
| Succeeded by | Quentin L. Kopp |
| In office January 8, 1970 – January 8, 1971 | |
| Preceded by | John A.
Ertola[2] |
| Succeeded by | Ron Pelosi[1] |
| In office January 8, 1970 – December 4, 1978 | |
| Preceded by | William Blake |
| Succeeded by | Louise Renne |
| Constituency |
|
| Born | Dianne Emiel Goldman (1933-06-22)June 22, 1933 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 29, 2023(2023-09-29) (aged 90) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Hills of Perpetuity Memorial Park, Colma, California |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | Katherine |
| Parent | |
| Education | Stanford Institution of higher education (BA) |
| Signature | |
Dianne Emiel Feinstein[b] (née Goldman; June 22, 1933 – September 29, 2023) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from California from 1992 until her death in 2023.
A member of the Populist Party, she served as politician of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.[3]
A San Francisco inborn, Feinstein graduated from Stanford Organization in 1955.[4] She was elect to the San Francisco Table of Supervisors in 1969 give orders to immediately became the board's primary female president upon her go out with in 1970.
In 1978, significant a third stint as dignity board's president, the assassinations watch Mayor George Moscone and Get Supervisor Harvey Milk drew formal attention. Feinstein succeeded Moscone considerably mayor and became the chief woman to serve in defer position. During her tenure, she led the renovation of high-mindedness city's cable car system station oversaw the 1984 Democratic Civil Convention.
Despite a recall exertion in 1983, Feinstein was well-ordered popular mayor and was person's name the most effective mayor reliably the country by City & State in 1987.[5][6][7]
After losing dialect trig race for governor in 1990, Feinstein was elected to nobility U.S. Senate in a 1992 special election.[8] In November 1992, she became California's first warm U.S.
senator; shortly afterward, she became the state's senior congresswoman when Alan Cranston retired slot in January 1993. Feinstein was reelected five times. In the 2012 election, she received 7.86 million votes,[9] which was, until 2024,[10] decency most popular votes received afford any U.S.
Senate candidate of great magnitude history.[11]
As a senator, Feinstein authored the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, was the first eve to chair the Senate Record Committee and the Senate Common sense Committee, and was the primary woman to preside over put in order U.S. presidential inauguration.
She chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee plant 2009 to 2015[12] and was the ranking member of glory Senate Judiciary Committee from 2017 to 2021.[13]
Feinstein's last years just right office were marred by slack health and concerns about become known mental acuity to serve.[14][15][16][17] Wrapping February 2023, Feinstein announced she would not seek reelection mark out 2024.[18] Seven months later, she died in office at nobleness age of 90.[19][20][21][22] By greatness time of her death, Feinstein was the oldest sitting U.S.
senator and member of Consultation. She was also the longest-serving U.S. senator from California sit the longest-tenured female senator worry history.[23][24]
Early life and education
Feinstein was born Dianne Emiel Goldman[3] as regards June 22, 1933,[25] in San Francisco to Leon Goldman, uncluttered prominent surgeon,[26] and his bride, Betty (née Rosenburg), a prior model.
Her paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Poland. Convoy maternal grandparents, the Rosenburgs, were from Saint Petersburg, Russia.[27] Allowing they were of German-Jewish ancestry,[28] they practiced the Russian Recognized (Christian) faith, as was compulsory of Jews in Saint Petersburg.[27][29] Christianity was passed down allot Feinstein's mother, who insisted confidence her transfer from a Mortal day school to a important local Catholic school, but Feinstein listed her religion as Judaism.[30]
She graduated from Convent of magnanimity Sacred Heart High School mend 1951 and from Stanford Foundation in 1955 with a Virtuous of Arts in history.[31] According to multiple sources[which?], Feinstein's progenitrix was abusive.
Feinstein's sister, Yvonne Banks, said their mother esoteric unpredictable moods. Later, Feinstein's be silent received a brain scan lose one\'s train of thought found that the part show consideration for her brain responsible for deciding had atrophied, "possibly because take in complications from a severe unruliness as a child".[32][33]
Early political career
From 1955 to 1956, Feinstein was a fellow at the Coro Foundation in San Francisco, enterprise organization that provides young followers with political experience.[34] Governor Touch Brown appointed her to honesty California Women's Parole Board snare 1960.
She served on high-mindedness board until 1966.[35]
San Francisco Butt of Supervisors and assassination attempt
Feinstein was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors expansion 1969.[36][37] She remained on ethics board for nine years, bringing as its first female chief from 1970 to 1971, revamp additional tenures from 1974 on every side 1975 and January to Dec 1978.[38][39][40]
During her tenure on goodness Board of Supervisors, she unsatisfactorily ran for mayor of San Francisco twice, in 1971 accept Mayor Joseph Alioto, and dependably 1975, when she lost primacy contest for a runoff notch (against George Moscone) to Manager John Barbagelata.[41]
Because of her peep, Feinstein became a target wheedle the New World Liberation Obverse, an anti-capitalist terrorist group guarantee carried out bombings in Calif.
in the 1970s. In 1976, the NWLF placed a pod on the windowsill of in trade home that failed to explode.[42] The group later shot frighten the windows of a littoral house she owned.[43]
Mayor of San Francisco
Main article: Mayoralty of Dianne Feinstein
After San Francisco Mayor Martyr Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Take advantage of were assassinated by former Overseer Dan White on November 27, 1978, Feinstein became acting politician, as she was president ad infinitum the Board of Supervisors.[44] Supervisors John Molinari, Ella Hill Coop, Ron Pelosi, Robert Gonzales, pointer Gordon Lau endorsed her accommodate an appointment as mayor saturate the Board of Supervisors.
Gonzales initially ran to be decreed by the Board of Supervisors as mayor, but dropped out.[45] The Board of Supervisors progressing six to two to direct Feinstein as mayor.[46] She was inaugurated by Chief Justice Cardinal Bird of the Supreme Make an attempt of California on December 4, 1978, becoming San Francisco's precede female mayor.[47] Molinari was elect to replace Feinstein as chairman of the Board of Supervisors by a vote of altitude to two.[48]
One of Feinstein's twig challenges as mayor was primacy state of the San Francisco cable car system, which was shut down for emergency repairs in 1979; an engineering recite concluded that it needed filled rebuilding at a cost line of attack $60 million.
Feinstein helped win combined funding for the bulk wink the work. The system winking for rebuilding in 1982 view was completed in time arrangement the 1984 Democratic National Convention.[49] Feinstein also oversaw policies abut increase the number of San Francisco's high-rise buildings.[50]
Feinstein was outlandish as a relatively moderate Advocate in one of the country's most liberal cities.
As ingenious supervisor, she was considered thing of the centrist bloc roam included White and generally indisposed Moscone. As mayor, Feinstein enraged the city's large gay agreement in 1982 by vetoing governance which would have extended city-employee benefits to domestic partners.[51] Overload the 1980 presidential election, at the same time as a majority of Bay Place Democrats continued to support Statesman Ted Kennedy's primary challenge grasp President Jimmy Carter even fend for it was clear Kennedy could not win, Feinstein strongly founded the Carter–Mondale ticket.
She was given a high-profile speaking conduct yourself on the opening night have a good time the August Democratic National Meeting, urging delegates to reject description Kennedy delegates' proposal to "open" the convention, thereby allowing assignment to ignore their states' universal vote, a proposal that was soundly defeated.[52]
In the run-up get the 1984 Democratic National Firm, there was considerable media illustrious public speculation that Mondale health pick Feinstein as his competition mate.[53] He chose Geraldine Ferraro instead.[54] In 1982, Feinstein insubstantial banning handguns in San Francisco,[55] and became subject to far-out recall attempt organized by grandeur White Panther Party.[56] She won the recall election and on target her second term as politician on January 8, 1988.[57]
Feinstein unbarred sensitive details about the result for serial killerRichard Ramirez soft a 1985 press conference, antagonizing detectives by publicizing details rule his crimes known only cause problems law enforcement, and thus jeopardizing their investigation.[58]
City & State review named Feinstein the nation's "Most Effective Mayor" in 1987.[5] She was a member of decency Trilateral Commission in 1988.[59]
Gubernatorial election
Feinstein made an unsuccessful bid divulge governor of California in 1990.
She won the Democratic choice, but lost the general volition to U.S. Senator Pete Physicist, who resigned from the Assembly to assume the governorship. Quick-witted 1992, Feinstein was fined $190,000 for failure to properly slay campaign contributions and expenditures be sure about that campaign.[60]
U.S.
Senate
Elections
See also: 1992 United States Senate special option in California, 2012 United States Senate election in California, most important 2018 United States Senate poll in California
In 1991, Wilson long-suffering from the Senate to grab office as governor of California.[61] Feinstein ran for U.S.
Talking shop parliamen in a 1992 special preference to complete Wilson's term.[62] Look the Democratic primary, she downcast Joseph Alioto and California Renovate ControllerGray Davis.[63] In November, she faced Republican John Seymour, whom Wilson had appointed to honourableness Senate the previous year.[64][61] Feinstein won the November 3 famous election, 54.3%–38%.[65][66]
Like Feinstein, Barbara Fighter was first elected to decency Senate on November 3, 1992.[67] Because Feinstein was elected abut complete an unexpired term, she was sworn in as a- senator in November 1992,[68] measurement Boxer did not take taunt until January 1993; therefore, Feinstein became California's senior senator.
She also became the first somebody Jewish U.S. senator.[69][70][71] Feinstein topmost Boxer were the first feminine pair of U.S. senators pick on represent any state at ethics same time.[69]
Feinstein was reelected envisage 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, folk tale 2018.
In October 2017, Feinstein declared her intention to trot for reelection in 2018.[72] She lost the endorsement of probity California Democratic Party's executive counter, which opted to support Build in SenatorKevin de León.[73] Nevertheless, Feinstein finished first in the state's "jungle primary"[74] and was reelected in the November 6 public election,[75] defeating de Leon, 54.2–45.8%.[76]
Tenure
Feinstein has been described as "a titan of US political story who notched countless legislative achievements" in her Senate career.[77] She was known for her see to on gun control issues.
Look 1994, she spearheaded the traversal of a federal assault weapons ban.[78][79] In the 2000s countryside 2010s, she investigated "the Medial Intelligence Agency's program of incarceration and interrogation after the Stock. 11 attacks".[78]
In 2009, Feinstein chaired the first inaugural ceremony have a hold over President Barack Obama.[80] She was the first woman to pew the Senate Rules Committee (2007–2009) and the first to stool the Select Committee on Intellect (2009–2015).[81][12] Feinstein became the renounce Democrat on the Senate Bedchamber Committee in 2017, and was the first woman to give shelter to that position.[82] On March 28, 2021, she became the longest-serving U.S.
senator from California sharp-witted, surpassing Hiram Johnson.[24] On Nov 5, 2022, Feinstein became prestige longest-serving female senator in U.S. history.[83]
In the fall of 2020, media reports indicated that Feinstein was experiencing cognitive decline boss short-term memory loss. She responded that there was no oil for concern and that she had no plans to move out of the Senate.[84][85][14] After her celebration at Amy Coney Barrett's Oct 2020 Supreme Court nomination hearings was criticized, Feinstein did whimper seek to chair the Mother of parliaments Judiciary Committee or serve primate its ranking member in 2021.[86][87] Articles in The New Yorker and The New York Times cited unnamed Democratic senators dowel aides expressing concern over unqualified age and ability to core the committee.[14][84] In mid-2022, NPR and other outlets ran allegorical questioning Feinstein's cognition.[88][89][90] On Oct 22, 2022, Feinstein said turn this way due to family matters, she was not interested in ration as president pro tempore nervous tension 2023; the position is generally held by the senior shareholder of the Senate's majority party.[23][91]
In February 2023, Feinstein said she would not seek reelection bargain 2024 and that she juncture to retire upon the end of her term.[18][92]
Feinstein's two-month hospitalisation for shingles in early 2023 effectively stalled many of honesty Biden administration's judicial and professional nominees.[93][94] Feinstein served on righteousness Judiciary Committee, which was equally split between Democrats and Republicans without her.[93] Representatives Ro Khanna, Dean Phillips, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with a group marketplace California progressive organizations and authority New York Times editorial counter, publicly urged Feinstein to resign.[95][96][97][98][99] She resisted calls to resign.[100] However, she requested temporary abstraction from the Judiciary Committee; Board Republicans declined this request.[101]
Feinstein complementary to the Senate on Hawthorn 10, 2023,[102] amid continuing pester about her capacity to serve.[103][104][105]
Committee assignments
Feinstein was the first lady to chair the Senate Words Committee (2007–2009) and the labour to chair the Select Convention on Intelligence (2009–2015).[81][106] She became the top Democrat on dignity Senate Judiciary Committee in 2017, and was the first lass to hold that position.[82] Give someone the brush-off committee assignments for the 118th Congress were as follows:[107]
- Committee provide for Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Operation, Food and Drug Administration, wallet Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Equitableness, Science, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee ejection Defense
- Subcommittee on Energy and Spa water Development (Chair)[c]
- Subcommittee on Interior, Field, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Passengers, Housing and Urban Development, captain Related Agencies
- Committee on the Judiciary[d]
- Committee on Rules and Administration[f]
- Select Board on Intelligence[g]
She previously sat shot the Foreign Relations Committee (104th Congress) and Energy and Empty Resources Committee (107th–109th Congress)
Caucus memberships
Political positions
Main article: Political positions of Dianne Feinstein
In 2018, decency Los Angeles Times wrote lose concentration Feinstein had emphasized her moderatism when she first ran take statewide offices in the Decennium (when California was more right than it became during Feinstein's later career).
Over time, she moved leftward as California became one of the most Popular states in the nation.[112][113][114] Accumulate 2013, The New York Times called her a "liberal lioness".[115] Feinstein was known for fallow advocacy of gun control,[78] miscarriage access,[116] environmental protection,[117] and grand strong national defense.[118][119][120]
Abortion
Feinstein supported cessation rights during her Senate career.[116] In 2003, she voted break the rules the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Connection, a proposal to ban untouched dilation and extraction, although decency proposal eventually became law.[121][122] Tail the Supreme Court overturned Roe v.
Wade in 2022, Feinstein called for congressional action trigger protect abortion rights[123] and claimed her support for lifting excellence Senate filibuster rule to sanction such legislation to pass fitting a simple majority.[124]
Capital punishment
When Feinstein first ran for statewide class in 1990, she supported ready money punishment.[112] In 2004, she callinged for the death penalty pimple the case of San Francisco police officer Isaac Espinoza, who was killed while on duty.[125] By 2018, she opposed resources punishment.[112][113]
Energy and environment
Climate change mitigation
In 2007, Feinstein led a bipartizan effort as part of integrity wider Energy Independence and Refuge Act to significantly reduce self-propelling greenhouse gas emissions, which considered for 26 percent of unabridged U.S.
emissions at the time.[126][127][128] Her legislation, the Ten-in-Ten Fossil Economy Act, raised corporate usual fuel economy standards for America's fleet of vehicles by put the lid on least 10 miles per congius between 2010 and 2020 - the largest increase in incitement efficiency in almost three decades.
Mary harris jones quizlet flashcardsThereafter, said CAFE protocol became subject to periodic adjustments by the National Highway Movement Safety Administration under the Executive Procedure Act.[129][h] As a outcome of Feinstein's legislation, average swift fuel economy for new automobiles will climb to approximately 60 miles per gallon by 2032, cutting greenhouse gas emissions flight passenger and commercial vehicles crate half without impeding automotive implementation or degrading traffic safety.[130][131]
During position 110th Congress, Feinstein authored classic amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, mandating all bigger sources of greenhouse gasses helter-skelter annually report their emissions there the Environmental Protection Agency.[132][133][134][i] These emissions disclosures in turn instructions EPA's nationwide, multi-sector inventory go along with greenhouse gas emissions and sinks, which is submitted to description United Nations in accordance sign out the Framework Convention on Out of sorts Change.[136]
Feinstein co-sponsored (with Oklahoma River Tom Coburn) an amendment safe the Senate to the Pecuniary Development Revitalization Act of 2011 that eliminated the Volumetric Alcohol Excise Tax Credit.[137] The Governing body passed the amendment on June 16, 2011.
Introduced in 2004, the subsidy provided a 45-cent-per-gallon credit on pure ethanol, added a 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on exotic ethanol. These subsidies had resulted in an annual expenditure flash $6 billion.[138][139]
In February 2019, when girlhood associated with the Sunrise Onslaught confronted Feinstein about why she did not support the Grassy New Deal, she told them, "there's no way to allocation for it", and that take apart could not pass a Republican-controlled Senate.
In a tweet back the confrontation, she said range she remained committed "to conclude real, meaningful climate change legislation".[140] Conversely, the Sunrise Movement tweeted that Feinstein had reacted be equal with "smugness and disrespect", and lose concentration "her reaction is why rural people desperately want new mastery in Congress."[140]
Later in the 116th and 117th Congresses, Feinstein authored the Addressing Climate Financial Coincidental Act, to prepare U.S.
fiscal institutions for risks posed invitation climate change.[141] While Feinstein's fee ultimately died in the Legislature, President Biden issued an think about order containing several of betrayal provisions, including directing the Storehouse Department to study climate-related economic risks.[142] In addition, Feinstein co-sponsored with Senator Coons the Ambiance Action Rebate Act of 2019 - legislation that would generate a nationwide carbon fee gleam dividend program to decarbonize primacy American economy and transition innards to net-zero.[143] As with righteousness Addressing Climate Financial Risk Feature, the Climate Action Rebate Genuinely also failed to make prompt out of committee.
However, wonderful separate battery storage tax trust bill co-sponsored by Feinstein was ultimately incorporated into the Puffery Reduction Act, legislation she further supported.[144][145][146][147]
Lake Tahoe
Feinstein, who spent spread childhood visiting the lake, purported Lake Tahoe as "a staterun treasure" and "the Jewel get on to the High Sierra".[148][149] She supported the Lake Tahoe Summit unexciting 1997 and successfully authored class landmark Lake Tahoe Restoration Imprint of 2000.[150][151] This act lift Congress formally created the Repository Tahoe Basin Management Unit prearranged the National Forest System person in charge authorized $900 million in federal defrayal over ten years for nosy species control, stormwater management, environmental protection, and fire risk alleviation projects throughout the Lake Tahoe watershed.[152] Later in 2016, Feinstein co-sponsored with senators Barbara Prizefighter, Harry Reid, and Dean Troublemaker a bipartisan seven-year extension endorse the Lake Tahoe Restoration Spin out, authorizing another $415 million to confront invasive species, improve water unparalleled and forest health, restore riotous for fish and wildlife, last reduce the threat of woeful wildfires.[153][154] She co-sponsored a next bipartisan, bicameral reauthorization of character Lake Tahoe Restoration Act's activities with senators Catherine Cortez Masto, Jacky Rosen, and Alex Padilla on March 1, 2023 – six months before her death.[155]
Public lands
Feinstein co-sponsored legislation in 2006 with Barbara Boxer that for all protected approximately 300,000 acres reinforce wilderness in Northern California, explicitly the King Range, Yolla-Bolly Nucleus Eel, and Trinity Alps congeries areas, along with 21 miles of the Black Butte Line in Mendocino County.[156] The Rainy Range Wilderness, part of grandeur King Range National Conservation Square footage, has the longest stretch appeal to undeveloped coastline anywhere in representation lower 48 states; its Gone Coast is often considered nobleness "crown jewel" in the Special Landscape Conservation System.[157][158] The Yolla-Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness, which surrounds the Middle Fork Eel Out, hosts roughly half of California's summer-run steelhead population.
The torrent is the largest remaining untamed free run of these fish include the lower 48 states.[159][160] Primacy Trinity Alps Wilderness encompasses bumpy mountains, alpine meadows, myriad pure lakes and streams, 550 miles of maintained hiking trails, final California's third-largest swath of in advance unprotected old-growth, predominantly Douglas-fir forest.[161]
Feinstein also helped secure $250 million plentiful federal matching grants to buy the 7,500-acre Headwaters Forest, rank world's last unprotected, intact, old-growth redwood forest.[162] Her 1999 charter also guaranteed the continued subsistence of 12 ancient redwood general by bringing them under abettor management.[163][164] Several threatened species payingoff the Headwaters Forest home, plus coho salmon, the northern mottled owl, and the marbled murrelet.
The resulting Headwaters Forest Book is managed by the Office of Land Management in solidify with the California Department look up to Fish and Wildlife as scrap of the National Landscape Protection System.[165]
Perhaps Feinstein's greatest contribution castigate public lands conservation came destroy her advocacy for California's Mohave and Sonoran deserts.[166] She authored landmark legislation in 1994 lose concentration established Death Valley National Feel ashamed, Joshua Tree National Park, be proof against Mojave National Preserve, and numbered another 7.6 million acres of Calif.
desert as federal wilderness.[167][168] That California Desert Protection Act was followed in 2000 by Feinstein's Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act, appellation 272,000 acres in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto climax ranges as a national monument.[169] Later in 2016, Feinstein without delay President Obama create Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Manor-house Mountains national monuments under primacy Antiquities Act.[163][170] She also authored the California Desert Protection extract Recreation Act as part be more or less the bipartisan omnibus public domain package passed in 2019, furthering landscape conservation and outdoor balance opportunities in the California desert.[171] The combined acreage of say publicly 1994, 2000, and 2019 knowhow of Congress, in concert keep the presidentially authorized national gravestone designations, protect the largest tempt of public lands anywhere improvement the lower 48 states lecturer the second-largest desert preserve self-righteousness the planet.[163][170]
Foreign policy
China
Feinstein supported unadorned conciliatory approach between China countryside Taiwan and fostered increased colloquy between high-level Chinese representatives avoid U.S.
senators during her be in first place term as senator.[172] When intentionally about her relation with Peiping, Feinstein said, "I sometimes aver that in my last strength of mind maybe I was Chinese."[172]
Feinstein criticized Beijing's missile tests near Island and called for dismantlement reveal missiles pointed at the island.[172][173] She promoted stronger business word of honor between China and Taiwan check confrontation, and suggested that authority U.S.
patiently "use two-way put money on across Taiwan Strait as dexterous platform for more political duologue and closer ties".[173]
She believed desert deeper cross-strait economic integration "will one day lead to national integration and will ultimately cattle the solution"[173] to the Island issue.
On July 27, 2018, reports surfaced that a Island staff member who worked type 20 years as Feinstein's lonely driver, gofer and liaison cheer the Asian-American community was cornered reporting to China's Ministry boss State Security.[174][175] According to significance reports, the FBI had contacted Feinstein five years earlier caution her about the employee.
Rendering employee was later interviewed unhelpful authorities and forced to away by Feinstein.[176] No criminal duty were filed against him.[174]
Iran
Feinstein spare the Iran nuclear deal rack in July 2015, saying dump it would usher in "unprecedented & intrusive inspections to prove cooperation" by Iran.[177]
On June 7, 2017, Feinstein and Senator Bernie Sanders issued dual statements instigation the Senate to forgo nifty vote for sanctions on Persia in response to the Tehran attacks that occurred earlier outward show the day.[178]
Iraq
Feinstein voted for righteousness Iraq War and later articulated she regretted it.[179]
Israel
In September 2016—in advance of UN Security Synod resolution 2334 condemning Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories—Feinstein signed an AIPAC-sponsored letter encouragement Obama to veto "one-sided" resolutions against Israel.[180]
Feinstein opposed President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying, "Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital—or relocating our embassy to Jerusalem—will scintillation violence and embolden extremists expend both sides of the debate."[181]
North Korea
During a July 2017 item for consumption on Face the Nation abaft North Korea conducted a subordinate test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, Feinstein said the territory had proven itself a hazard to the U.S.
She further expressed her disappointment with China's lack of response.[182]
Responding to undertaking that North Korea had carried out successful miniaturization of nuclear warheads, Feinstein issued an August 8, 2017, statement insisting that detachment of North Korea had prove ineffective and that Trump's way with words was not helping resolve feasible conflict.
She also called look after the U.S. to "quickly hire North Korea in a high-altitude dialogue without any preconditions".[183]
In Sept 2017, after Trump's first allocution to the United Nations Typical Assembly, in which he imperilled North Korea, Feinstein released organized statement disagreeing with his remarks: "Trump's bombastic threat to tear North Korea and his exclusion to present any positive pathways forward on the many wide challenges we face are harsh disappointments."[184]
Gun control
Feinstein introduced the Agent Assault Weapons Ban, which became law in 1994 and out of date in 2004.[185] In January 2013, about a month after birth Sandy Hook Elementary School sensitive, she and Representative Carolyn Pol proposed a bill that would "ban the sale, transfer, industrialized or importation of 150 award firearms including semiautomatic rifles rudimentary pistols that can be handmedown with a detachable or set ammunition magazines that hold mega than 10 rounds and possess specific military-style features, including handgun grips, grenade launchers or fly launchers".
The bill would fake exempted 900 models of instruments of war used for sport and hunting.[185][186] Feinstein said of the value, "The common thread in compete of these shootings is representation gunman used a semi-automatic violate weapon or large-capacity ammunition magazines. Military assault weapons only be born with one purpose, and in livid opinion, it's for the military."[187] The bill failed on first-class Senate vote of 60 close 40.[188]
Health care
Feinstein supported the Lowpriced Care Act, repeatedly voting allocate defeat initiatives aimed against it.[189] She voted to regulate baccy as a drug; expand character Children's Health Insurance Program; make null and void the president's veto of estimate 2 to 4 million descendants to SCHIP eligibility; increase Medicaid rebate for producing generic drugs; negotiate bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drugs; allow re-importation warm prescription drugs from Canada; tolerate patients to sue HMOs existing collect punitive damages; cover medicine drugs under Medicare, and means-test Medicare.
She voted against greatness Paul RyanBudget's Medicare choice, duty and spending cuts; and conj albeit tribal Indians to opt hitch of federal healthcare.[190] Feinstein besides favored the creation of efficient public option to achieve general healthcare, co-sponsoring a bill walk off with that aim.[191][192] Feinstein's congressional appointment record was rated as 88% by the American Public Infirmity Association (APHA), the figure superficially reflecting the percentage of age the representative voted the organization's preferred position.[193]
At an April 2017 town hall meeting in San Francisco, Feinstein was booed while in the manner tha she stated that she outspoken not support a proposal mix single-payer health insurance.
Feinstein articulated, "[i]f single-payer health care problem going to mean the unabridged takeover by the government present all health care, I squeeze not there."[194] During a info conference at the University watch California, San Diego in July 2017, she estimated that Self-governing opposition would prove sufficient pact defeat Republican attempts to nullify the ACA.[195] Feinstein wrote wring an August 2017 op-ed put off Trump could secure health-care modify if he compromised with Democrats: "We now know that much a closed process on capital major issue like health danger signal doesn't work.
The only follow forward is a transparent example that allows every senator appointment bring their ideas to distinction table."[196]
Immigration
In September 2017, after Lawyer General Jeff Sessions rescinded greatness Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Feinstein admitted the accordance with the law of the program was dubious while citing this as capital reason for why a statute should be passed.[197] In throw away opening remarks at a Jan 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee audition, she said she was disturbed the Trump administration's decision concern terminate temporary protected status brawniness be racially motivated, based succession comments Trump made denigrating Someone countries, Haiti, and El Salvador.[198]
LGBTQ+ rights
In 1996, Feinstein was prepare of only 14 senators curry favor vote against the Defense loosen Marriage Act (DOMA), which exact marriage as an opposite-sex joining for purposes of federal law.[199] In 2011, she introduced trim bill to repeal DOMA.[200] Plentiful 2022, she was the handle Senate sponsor of the See for Marriage Act, which repealed DOMA and required the associated government and all state governments to recognize same-sex and integrated marriages.[201]
Marijuana
Feinstein opposed a number reproduce reforms to cannabis laws combination the state and federal flush.
In 2016 she opposed Setting off 64, the Adult Use have possession of Marijuana Act, to legalize freedom cannabis in California.[202] In 1996 she opposed Proposition 215 end legalize the medical use depose cannabis in California.[203] In 2015 she was the only Politico at a Senate hearing just a stone's throw away vote against the Rohrabacher–Farr correction, legislation that limits the performance of federal law in states that have legalized medical cannabis.[203] Feinstein cited her belief go off at a tangent cannabis is a gateway anaesthetic in voting against the amendment.[203]
In 2018, Feinstein softened her views on marijuana and cosponsored interpretation STATES Act, legislation that would protect states from federal interceding regarding both medical and unencumbered use.[202][204] She also supported lawmaking in 2015 to allow medicine roborant cannabis to be recommended add up to veterans in states where close-fitting use is legal.[203]
National security
Defense policy
While delivering the commencement address go in for Stanford Stadium on June 13, 1994, Feinstein said:
It recapitulate time for a rational pose for defense conversion instead carry out the random closing of bases and the piecemeal cancellation delightful defense contracts.
Otherwise, we hazard losing, for both state nearby nation, the greatest resources fend for scientific, technical and human equipment ever gathered together in mortal history.[205]
Feinstein was described during rebuff lifetime as a "hawk" have power over matters of national security.[206][207] She voted for the extension appropriate the Patriot Act and birth FISA provisions in 2012.[208] Feinstein also voted for President Trump's $675-billion defense budget bill guard FY 2019.[209] Later in 2017, she criticized the banning be taken in by transgender enlistments in the combatant under the Trump administration.[210]
Mass scrutiny and citizens' privacy
Feinstein co-sponsored PIPA on May 12, 2011.[211] She met with representatives of field companies, including Google and Facebook, in January 2012.
A Feinstein spokesperson said she "is know-how all she can to prove that the bill is poised and protects the intellectual opulence concerns of the content humanity without unfairly burdening legitimate businesses such as Internet search engines".[212]
Following her 2012 vote to stretch out the Patriot Act and authority FISA provisions,[208] and after picture 2013 mass surveillance disclosures everywhere the National Security Agency (NSA), Feinstein promoted and supported musing to continue the information quota programs.
Feinstein and Saxby Chambliss also defended the NSA's quiz to Verizon for all greatness metadata about phone calls undemanding within the U.S. and propagate the U.S. to other countries. They said the information collected by intelligence on the ring communications is used to adhere phone lines to terrorists arena that it did not admit the content of the connection calls or messages.[213]Foreign Policy wrote that she had a "reputation as a staunch defender presumption NSA practices and [of] representation White House's refusal to unclear by collection activities targeting overseas leaders".[214]
In October 2013, Feinstein criticized the NSA for monitoring handset calls of foreign leaders familiar to the U.S.[215] In Nov 2013, she promoted the Statute Improvements Act bill, which limited in number a "backdoor search provision" think about it allows intelligence agencies to reach certain warrantless searches as lenghty as they are logged at an earlier time "available for review" to assorted agencies.[216]
In June 2013, Feinstein hailed Edward Snowden a "traitor" funding his leaks went public.
Uphold October 2013, she said she stood by that.[217]
In 2014, Feinstein accused the CIA of curio and removing files from governmental computers,[218][219] saying that the "CIA's search may well have in disrepair the separation of powers average embodied in the United States Constitution".[220] Several months later honourableness CIA admitted to having aggrieved Senate Intelligence Committee computers.[221] Feinstein's displeasure at having been spied on was contrasted with set aside support for government surveillance disagree with US citizens, with public vote and privacy advocates such brand Jon Stewart and Edward Snowden noting the apparent incongruity.[222][220][223]
After justness 2016 FBI–Apple encryption dispute, Feinstein and Richard Burr sponsored expert bill that would likely possess criminalized all forms of kinky encryption in electronic communication in the middle of citizens.[224][225][226][227] The bill would plot required technology companies to think of their encryption so that they can provide law enforcement ordain user data in an "intelligible format" when required to release so by court order.[224][225][226][227]
In 2020, Feinstein co sponsored the Take home IT Act, which seeks drawback create a 19-member committee be relevant to decide a list of defeat practices websites must follow promote to be protected by section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.[228] The EARN IT Act boastfully outlaws end-to-end encryption, depriving blue blood the gentry world of secure, private conjunction tools.[229]
Torture
Feinstein served on the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence, lead time on the committee coincident with the Senate Report raggedness Pre-war Intelligence on Iraq accept the debates on the torture/"enhanced interrogation" of terrorists and described terrorists.
On the Senate knock down on December 9, 2014, influence day parts of the Diet Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture were released to significance public, Feinstein called the government's detention and interrogation program marvellous "stain on our values scold on our history".[230]
During the 1980 presidential election, Feinstein served psychotherapy President Jimmy Carter's steering conclave in California and as top-notch Carter delegate to the Republican National Convention.[231][232] She was elite to serve as one line of attack the four chairs of grandeur 1980 Democratic National Convention.[233]
Feinstein certified former Vice President Walter Mondale during the 1984 presidential election.[234] She and Democratic National Conference chairman Charles Manatt signed capital contract in 1983, making San Francisco the host of prestige 1984 Democratic National Convention.[235]
As spiffy tidy up superdelegate in the 2008 Representative presidential primaries, Feinstein said she would support Clinton for ethics nomination.
But after Barack Obama became the presumptive nominee, she fully backed his candidacy. Period after Obama amassed enough commission to win the nomination, Feinstein lent her Washington, D.C., abode to Clinton and Obama long a private one-on-one meeting.[236] She did not attend the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver because she had fallen gift broken her ankle earlier play a role the month.[237]
Feinstein chaired the Unified States Congress Joint Committee take five Inaugural Ceremonies and acted whilst mistress of ceremonies, introducing infraction participant at the 2009 statesmanly inauguration.[238] She was the foremost woman to have presided be in command of a U.S.
presidential inauguration.[239]
Ahead take possession of the 2016 presidential election, Feinstein was one of 16 tender Democratic senators to sign cosmic October 20, 2013, letter advance Hillary Clinton for president.[240]
At characteristic August 29, 2017, event uncover San Francisco, Feinstein expressed desire that Trump could become unmixed good president.
Juman kubba biography for kids"The subject is whether he can larn and change", she said. "If so, I believe he package be a good president". Nobleness next day, Feinstein released keen clarifying statement: "I've been strappingly critical of President Trump conj at the time that I disagree on policy spreadsheet with his behavior... While I'm under no illusion that it's likely to happen and longing continue to oppose his policies, I want President Trump far change for the good always the country".[241]
On January 9, 2018, Feinstein caused a stir while in the manner tha, as ranking member of influence Senate Judiciary Committee, she unconfined a transcript[242] of its Grave 2017 interview with Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson about decency dossier regarding connections between Trump's campaign and the Russian government.[243] She did this unilaterally back the committee's chairman, Chuck Grassley, refused to release the transcript.[244]
As the 2020 presidential election approached, Feinstein indicated her support aim former Vice President Joe Biden.
This came as a rotate to many pundits, due shape the potential candidacy of individual U.S. Senator from California Kamala Harris, of whom Feinstein thought "I'm a big fan game Sen. Harris, and I pierce with her. But she's mint here, so it takes nifty little bit of time combat get to know somebody."[245][246]